Method and apparatus for producing dipped articles



April 15, 1941. N. E. TlLLOTSON 2,238,833

METHOD AND APPARATUS FDR PRODUCING DIPPED ARTICLES Filed May 6 PatentedApr. 15, 1941 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING DIPPED ARTICLES Neil E.Tillotson, Watertown, Mass.

Ap lication May 6, 1939, Serial No. 272,095

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to method and apparatus of producingdipped articles, and is more particularly concerned. with the productionof play articles such as beach balls and similar play articles which mayhave rounded or generally globular body portions regardless of whatappendages may be attached to or extend from the body portion.

I have discovered that the formation of such articles and manipulationof the forms connected therewith, and in fact that whole process, may begreatly improved and simplified through the employment of forms providedwith flexible wings which produce a dipped envelope modified in formfrom the inflated product, but capable of being made into a relativelyflat package when deflated. According to this method, not only can aglobular article of considerable cubical capacity be immersed in thelatex bath without difficulty, but upon completion of the clippingoperation the rubber envelope may be stripped from the form through acomparatively small opening, the form being distorted and roller orfolded into a small compass for this purpose.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating the preferred form of theinvention, Fig. 1 represents an elevation of a winged form suitable forproducing a rubber beach ball; Fig. 2 is a section upon the line 2-2 ofFig. 1, illustrating the form; 3 is a perspective View illustrating arack of such forms in the process of dipping; Fig. 4 is an elevation ofthe form after dipping, with the encasing rubber envelope; Fig. 5 is asection of the form with the encasing envelope on the line 5-5 of Fig.4; Fig. 6 is an elevation illustrating the manner in which the flexiblewings may be rolled on one another to permit removal of the form througha small opening in the end of the rubber envelope; Fig. '7 is anelevation or plan of the finished product, with the inflating tubeapplied and in deflated condition; Fig. 8 is a section of the deflatedproduct on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7; and Fig. 9 is a view of the finishedproduct in its true spherical form after inflation.

.As indicated particularly in the illustrated embodiment of theinvention, the form may be provided with a central sustaining stem orsupport 20, from which protrude four flexible wings 22 in diametricallyopposite positions. The post, which may be made of any suitablecomposition, is covered with a rubber sheath as indicated at 24, and thewings are formed integrally with and protrude from this sheath.

Obviously before dipping the immersed portion of the post and the wingsare coated with suitable material, as will be obvious to those skilledin the art, to prevent adherence between the rubber form and the coatingproduced thereon. The end of the post may be threaded at 26 forattachment with other forms to a rack 28 by means of which the assemblyof forms may be dipped or immersed in a rubber latex suspensionindicated at 30 within a dipping tank 32.

After suitable immersion to insure proper coating of the forms, thelatter are withdrawn and the coating is allowed to harden or cure, asthe case may be, and thereafter is stripped from the form through arelatively small opening in one end, presumably by manipulation of thewings or fins 22 into the wrap-around position shown in Fig. 6, whichfacilitates the convenient withdrawal of the envelope from thereabout.

Following the removal of the envelope, the product, in this case a beachball, may be finished by addition of an end closure or cap 34, providedwith an inflation stem 36. In its finished but deflated condition theproduct normally forms a fiat package due to the reentrant pleats 38,which quite obviously are produced through the coating of oppositesurfaces of the wings. However, due to the contour of the wing surfacesthe product upon inflation, as shown in Fig. 9, can be made to assume atrue spherical ball 40, the reentrant pleats expanding to form theextended peripheral surface of the finished and inflated ball.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of making a dipped rubber article having a generallyrounded body, which consists in dipping a form having one or moreflexible wings of proper contour attached to a central sustaining post,the protruding wings upon immersion within a latex bath being completelycoated with an envelope of rubber, and thereafter withdrawing the wingedsupport through an opening in one end of the rubber envelope, the wingsbeing capable of distortion to permit withdrawal through a smallopening.

2. The method of making a dipped rubber article having a generallyrounded body, which consists in dipping a form having an outer contourdeparting from the finished contour of the body, and comprising aplurality of flexible wings to produce after dipping a rubber envelopehaving reentrant pleats produced by the wings, and of such a characterthat after removal of the form and inflation of the rubber envelope thereentrant pleats expand outwardly to produce tionship and ofpredetermined contour, the wings being distortable or collapsible withrespect to the support to facilitate withdrawal from within a rubberenvelope produced thereabout.

NEIL E. TILLOTSON.

